Barney Point worker uses crowbar as weapon after car keyed

Sarah began writing in 2014 and for The Observer in 2015. She left the region in 2017 for a reporting stint at the Sunshine Coast and returned to her hometown one year later. From day one she has had a keen interest in police, court and crime reporting.

A BARNEY point man was thrown over the edge, and into a pit of rage, upon discovering his freshly-sprayed car had been keyed overnight.

So angry, he used a crowbar to threaten his neighbours and threw handfuls of rocks at them, a court has heard.

Francis Joseph McCartney, 46, pleaded guilty to the Gladstone Magistrates Court to three charges; one count of common assault, one count of common assault in a public place while affected by alcohol and one count of threatening violence.

Police prosecutor Gavin Reece said the offending occurred over two days, with the first offence at about 8pm on October 17 last year.

The defendant walked across the road to his neighbour's house, where both victims of the assault live (a mother and son), and confronted the son about his keyed car.

The conversation became aggressive, and began to shout and accuse the son for keying his car, Mr Reece said.

"I know it was you who keyed my car, you (expletive)," the defendant shouted.

The court heard he began to pace back and forth in the victims yard, shouting: "Come down here, I know it was you ... Every dog has it's day ... I'll punch you in the f***ing head".

At about 4pm the next day, arguments between the neighbours started up again when McCartney walked into the garage of the victim's house.

Both the mother and her son were in the garage when McCartney began to swing a crowbar aggressively.

They shouted at him multiple times to leave, but McCartney continued to make threats, telling the mother and son he would "run them down" and "punch them in the head 20 f***ing times".

The police were called, but not before McCartney began to pick up handfuls of rocks and hurl them at the victims.

Rocks hit the back and the hand of the mother, causing minor injury.

These were the facts heard in court.

Defence lawyer Cassandra Ditchfield said her client was "heavily intoxicated" at the time of offending, as a result of the recent breakdown of a 10-year relationship.

She said her client was using alcohol as a way to cope, and acted out when he saw his car had been damaged.

She said there was about $1200 worth of damage to the car.

"He currently works in Adelaide, FIFO, on a contract that will run out in three months," she said.

"After that, he has been offered employment at an army base, however, this could be jeopardised if a conviction is recorded today.

"His relationship with his partner is now back on track and has no reason to re-offend in such a way.

"He is getting his life back on track."

Visiting Gladstone Magistrate Neil Lavaring did not record a conviction, however, did order McCartney to complete a 60-hour community service order.